snit snat wrote:
>
>
> Aside from which, as best I can tell, the IRS just likes to play hide the
> salami. snark snark.
>
I've never read anything about how IRS is organized, so this may be irrelevant. If it is, someone will let us know.
I don't think you should personify IRS as itself an agent. That is, it is inaccurate to say "The IRS" likes (or dislikes) anything.
You start out with the tax legislation as written by Congress (with I suppose lot's of help from technically skilled lobbyists for this or that interest). The workforce of IRS is then faced with the task of transforming that legislation into tax forms. And while I've never read a word of any of that legislation, I wouldn't be surprised if the simplest parts of it make your tax form look like Dick & Jane in comparison.
And hence, if you (we) find the tax form maddeningly complex, imagine how the GS7 or GS9 who has to write the first draft of the tax form fitting the legislation must feel. I've only been closely familiar with three public work-forces: NSA in the '50s; university civil-service for 40 years; and the post office (where Jan worked for almost 20 years). And the GS3s-GS11s (or equivalents) in all three really tried their best to do the work well. I would guess the bulk of the workers at IRS do the same. (Probably outside pressure makes a big difference at the upper levels of IRS, but that sort of thing filters down in a bewildering chaos of ways.)
So it's almost certain that no actual person is trying to make life rough for you when you fill out your tax form. And "The IRS" has no intentions of any sort whatever. And outside of Congress, my bet is that almost every actual flesh-and-blood person involved in the creation of that form was trying to make it as simple and clear as can be. After all, do you really think a bunch of (probably underpaid and overworked) GS7s should have the skill of a combination of Shakespeare, Newton, & Wittgenstein?
Carrol